ALASTAIR Clarkson has dismissed the growing chorus of doubters lining up to write off Hawthorn, instead talking up his regenerating team's effort to finish top four and set up a shot at a history-making fourth-straight premiership.

On the eve of finals, Clarkson sent a reminder that the new season was only just getting started and it matters little how September specialists Hawthorn got there.

"I'll refer back to 2012. We played some of our best football that year that we've ever played in the home and away (season) and got rolled in the Grand Final," Clarkson said on Tuesday.

"It's important you're playing your best footy at the right time of year and that's what we're going to be gearing ourselves up to try and do over the next four weeks." 

The Hawks were the masters of close finishes this season, winning all six of their games decided by under 10 points, including a one-point shootout over Collingwood on Sunday to secure third spot on the ladder. 

Those narrow escapes have raised fresh doubts about the Hawks' flag hopes, but Clarkson was bullish about his side's chances after notching 17 wins despite missing spearhead Jarryd Roughead all year and blooding seven debutants. 

"We've sadly missed (Roughead's) presence in our front half, but we've been able to cope reasonably well in pretty trying circumstances," he said. 

"We've won 17 games this year, which is one more than this time last year.

"So there's plenty of people lining up to write the Hawks off but we set ourselves a goal at the start of the year to win as many games as we could and get ourselves into the top four and we've been able to achieve that.

"Now we put that in the bank and get ourselves ready for the really serious stuff".